| Shake-up frustrates faculty at MiraCosta By Lola Sherman San Diego Union Tribune September 1, 2006 For the second time in less than a week, the MiraCosta College Academic Senate, which represents the school's faculty, anguished yesterday over the fate of a popular top administrator who was abruptly placed on paid leave. Julie Hatoff, vice president for instructional services since 1984, was told to clear out her desk by 5 p.m. Aug. 25, Senate members said. The members were unsure who ordered the move – the college's president or the college's attorneys. Faculty member Tom Severance, in an impassioned half-hour speech yesterday, called Hatoff an icon at MiraCosta and the statewide community college system. At the beginning of the meeting, the president and vice president of the Senate announced their resignations. President Brent Pickett and Vice President Lynne Miller said their decisions were not in protest over Hatoff's departure, but were related because of the stress and time away from their families caused by the turmoil of the Hatoff situation. Although no official reason has been given for Hatoff's ouster, many faculty and nonteaching staff members said it was the latest in an administrative housecleaning after a campus scandal last spring involving the unauthorized sale of thousands of palm trees on the Oceanside campus. Severance noted that Alleen Texeira, head of the horticulture department, also has been placed on leave, and Eileen Kraskouskas, the dean of vocational education and Texeira's boss, was asked to retire. Miller asked those in attendance yesterday to attend the college's governing board meeting at 4 p.m. today. She asked that at least five or six speakers sign up to address the board during a public-comment period. In addition, the Academic Senate has asked to present a report on its concerns at a board meeting at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday in Aztlan Rooms A and B on the Oceanside campus, 1 Barnard Drive. Miller and Pickett said Hatoff's situation is in the hands of attorneys and there's little they can do, although a task force of Senate members will “investigate the investigation.” Kraskouskas, Hatoff and Texeira have hired lawyers and are not speaking to the media. Members of the audience yesterday said that now may be the time for MiraCosta, one of the few nonunionized community colleges, to consider forming a collective-bargaining unit. Others said there may come a time for a vote of no-confidence in the college's president, Victoria Muñoz Richart. Miller said that now is not the time. The college issued no immediate announcement last week of Hatoff's leave. Upon request, public-relations director Bonnie Hall supplied a two-sentence statement: “Dr. Richart was informed this morning by college attorney, Daniel Shinoff, that the vice president of instructional services will be on leave until further notice. “Dr. Richart appointed Dick Robertson, vice president of student services, to also serve as interim vice president of instructional services.” Hall said yesterday that the letter from Shinoff did not give a reason for his announcement that Hatoff would be on leave. Neither Shinoff nor Richart returned calls for comment yesterday. During the leave, Hall said, Hatoff will receive her annual salary of $200,803. Hatoff began her career at MiraCosta in 1971 as an English instructor. She was named vice president of instructional services in 1984. “She was the most beloved person,” retired instructor Larry Nugent said later. “She's given her whole life to MiraCosta and is really well-known throughout the state.” MiraCosta's governing board turned over the palm tree matter to the District Attorney's Office. Hall said yesterday that district attorney investigators have asked for further information from college officials, but she could not say what they requested. |
| Who had the right priorities? Dan Shinoff and Victoria Richart cared most about power. Julie Hatoff cared most about students. |
| Julie Hatoff Vice President, Instructional Services [Julie Hatoff] came to MiraCosta in 1972. Taught English and humanities concentrating on literature of ethnic Americans, women's studies, and the intellectual history of the European inter-war period. Served two terms as Academic Senate President and department chair. Elected to the statewide Academic Senate and served as its secretary. Founded with two colleagues from SFFCC and L.A. Valley the English Council of 2-Year Colleges (ECCTYC); cofounded the North County Higher Education Alliance with colleagues from CSU San Marcos and Palomar Community College. Appointed Vice President, Instructional Services in 1984. Served as head of SDICCCA Chief Instructional Officers and member of statewide executive board before election in 1992 as President, California Chief Instructional Officers. Joined the Executive Committee of National Council of Instructional Administrators; elected its President in 2002. Represented NCIA on Workforce Development Commission. http://www.miracosta. edu/home/jhatoff/ |
| The Carter Doran Leadership Award to Julie Hattoff Chief Instructional Officers usually have one strong suit. It might be an extraordinary interrelationship with faculty and staff, including clear communication skills, open and receptive leadership style, high regard for all members of the college as contributors to students' education, and active commitment to a diverse organization. Or a CIO might be particularly dedicated to a rigorous curriculum meeting the needs of students as contributors to the workforce and the community. Or an instructional administrator might have a vision for the institution's physical campus, the teaching environment, the academic workplace, the intellectual, cultural, and aesthetic setting for student development. Occasionally a CIO may have more than one passion. It is rare that one would have all three. In 1983 Julie became MiraCosta's VicePresident of Instruction. Those of us who made up her team of instructional deans the past two decades have been inspired by her nonhierarchal leadership style, her belief in systems and continuous quality improvement, and her profound interest in the most current teaching and learning research. Julie annually leads faculty and administrators to read and discuss books by the nation's leading educators and implement more effective teaching strategies. She continuously supports faculty participation in conferences, teaching academies, and visits to other innovative colleges. The college curriculum has been strengthened dramatically under Julie's leadership. MiraCosta's Academic Policies and Procedures Committee took up her challenge to put all courses into a Web Curriculum Management System in one year, insuring that critical thinking, writingacross the curriculum, and applied learning are integrated into every course. Julie's commitment to students has always extended beyond the classroom. In her role as VicePresident of Instruction, she initiated Study Abroad, Service Learning, Student Internships, Honors Scholar, and Enrichment Seminar programs. One of Julie's ongoing campaigns has been to create a comfortable environment for students. Because of her involvement, with each new building came outdoor spaces for students to gather. From the time Julie came to MiraCosta, she dreamt of a new library in the heart of the campus. With skeptics predicting that funding would not be granted, Julie pursued her dream and in 2002, due to her determination, the MiraCosta Information Hub was constructed, standing in the center of the campus, just where Julie had pictured it. At the same time, Julie facilitated a new Children's Center. In recognition, faculty and staff and commissioned a work of art and donated hundreds of children's books in her name. This is the dynamic microcosm of Julie Hatoff. Beyond MiraCosta College, she has contributed to other colleges, statewide organizations, and national projects. She has served on ten accreditation teams. She created the North County Higher Education Alliance. She served as president of the California Chief Instructional Officers association, served on the National Workforce Development Team, and served as president of National Council of Instructional Administrators. The Carter Doran Leadership Award criteria provide the blueprint for the ideal Chief Instructional Officer. Julie Swan Hatoff has followed that blueprint all of her career. |
| Hatoff is key figure in palm-tree scandal By Lola Sherman UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER April 21, 2007 NORTH COUNTY – The MiraCosta College board of trustees has started the process to fire Julie Hatoff, both as a top administrator and as a tenured teacher, as a result of a palm-tree scandal that has rocked the campus for the past year. College officials confirmed yesterday that Hatoff was the unidentified employee that trustees meant when they voted 4-3 on Thursday to approve a “statement of charges and notice of dismissal.” Hatoff has been with MiraCosta since 1971, starting as an English instructor, and has been vice president for instruction since 1983. On Aug. 25, she was put on paid administrative leave. Since then, turmoil on campus has resulted in no- confidence votes from faculty groups against the college president and its board of trustees. The campus uproar began in May, when college President Victoria Muñoz Richart announced that a college employee and a private businessperson had for eight years operated an enterprise to sell thousands of palm trees nurtured and stored on the campus. The trees were later determined to belong to MiraCosta. A private investigator, Robert Price, was hired in February 2006 to probe the palm tree case. On Wednesday, his long- awaited report was released. Among its findings, it said a “senior administrator” had known about the palm- tree deal for several years and had done nothing about it. Although the public version of the report used no names, the “senior administrator” in the report apparently was Hatoff, based on the description of the individual. The report referred to the alleged operators of the enterprise as “the facilitator” and “the private party,” apparently Horticulture Department head Aileen Texeira and her former fiance, Jack Wackerman. Price said Hatoff had tried to protect the “facilitator” from discovery. In an unrelated issue, the Price report said the senior administrator had ultimate responsibility to make sure student fees for materials in horticulture classes were collected properly. That was not done, he said. “Julie denies everything in the Price report,” her attorney, Tracy Warren of San Diego, said yesterday. College trustees began a similar dismissal procedure against Texeira, without identifying her, on Sept. 22. On Thursday, they voted unanimously to approve her early retirement. At a board of trustees retreat yesterday, President Charles Adams said the dismissal process for a tenured teacher can take up to two years. Hatoff has tenure as a teacher, while her contract as an administrator expires June 30. Richart said yesterday she will advertise for an interim vice president on Monday to replace Hatoff, but whoever is hired will start July 1. Warren, Hatoff's attorney, said her client will sue the college and Richart. Yesterday's six-hour board retreat was aimed at healing some of the wounds created by its 4-3 split over the Hatoff dismissal and related issues. Trustee Gloria Carranza said she had not known beforehand that it was to be a session with professional mediators – Lisa Maxwell and John Edwards of the National Resolution Conflict Center in San Diego. Carranza, Jacqueline Simon and Judy Strattan make up a board minority that wants to discuss the no-confidence votes. They said they feel a lack of respect by the board majority. In turn, the board majority, especially trustee Gregory Post, said it has felt verbally abused by the faculty groups. Post said he was pleased that, in an exercise driven by the mediators, he and Strattan had worked together well, and he thinks the board members should try to get together in twos to discuss their differences more fully. No action was taken. |
| A Palm Tree Scandal and Then a Resignation By SUSAN GRANT Voice of San Diego June 21, 2007 With a spring in her step and an air of perpetual hurriedness about her, Victoria Munoz Richart was all smiles Tuesday morning as she prepared for the 3 p.m. regular board meeting between administration and faculty at MiraCosta Community College. Since Richart came to MiraCosta in 2004 as president, tensions between faculty and administration have risen steadily, stemming largely from the felony investigation of faculty members in a palm tree scandal and the subsequent creation of a political action committee to get the president removed. "When I think about the accomplishments this school has made since I came here it helps me to push the rest of this aside," Richart said in an interview. The president of MiraCosta Community College resigned Wednesday after a drawn out battle with the school's workers. Photo: Susan Grant Fifteen hours later, after a tense overnight meeting in closed session that ended in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Richart resigned, collected a $650,000 severance package and a guarantee that she can continue to fight a war that has raged for three years. With an enrollment of more than 10,000 and two campuses in Oceanside and Encinitas, MiraCosta Community College has grown steadily since it opened in 1934. The college follows a collegial governance structure that is comprised of an academic senate made up of teaching faculty, a classified senate that includes all non-teaching staff, and the seven- member board of trustees. The superintendent and president serves as the executive officer for the board of trustees. The tumultuous last few years have left a bruise on the college’s relatively scandal-free past and have created what Academic Senate President Jonathan Cole calls a "climate of distrust" between faculty and the administration. “Her departure was a long time coming,” said Susan Herrmann, a professor at MiraCosta and head of a recently created political action committee, Restore MiraCosta. Related Links Horticultural Department Investigative Report (pdf) Richart Settlement (pdf) Much of the aggravation between Richart and the faculty can be traced to a common sight around the campus -- palm trees. In December 2005, a whistleblower complaint from a classified employee surfaced in the human resources department. By May 2006, an investigation by the private investigations firm ESI International Inc. into the fraudulent diversion of public funds at the college’s horticultural department was well under way, and two employees were put on leave indefinitely. The investigative report was released in April and detailed the illegal sale of palm trees on the school’s Oceanside campus. According to the report, Alleen Texiera and an unnamed former boyfriend started a palm-growing and selling business on the Oceanside campus in 1996 using roughly 1,000 palm trees that had been donated to MiraCosta. During this time, the horticulture department was found to have improperly diverted funds from the sale of plants into tin cans and soda boxes. The report also stated that the department had been running an "underground economy" to pay illegal workers for their landscaping work. In total, the misplaced funds totaled $305.38. Shortly after the report was released, former horticultural department head Texiera pled guilty to a single count of grand theft, paid a $2,500 penalty, and retired. Later that month, former Vice President of Instructional Services Julie Hatoff, who had been on paid leave for six months, did not get her contract renewed because of her involvement in the scandal. Silly String and Green Bracelets "I’m going to need you to come to the meeting tonight," Richart said to the head security guard on campus Tuesday morning. "And I’m going to need you to stay the whole time." Security at board meetings has become a common sight over the last few months after Richart received an anonymous death threat in May and board president Charles Adams, who is black, discovered the letters "KKK" written on his home in silly string June 1. At the June 5 board meeting, Adams angrily accused Cole and classified senate President Abdy Afzali of writing the letters. There have been no arrests made in the incident, which the Oceanside Police Department later characterized as a hate crime. Standing up at the podium meant for public speakers, Adams also singled out members of the faculty who had recently began wearing green bracelets that said "Restore MiraCosta," a reference to the political action committee, claiming they were sending out "hate-filled propaganda" around the campus and the community. Adams later sent out a letter apologizing to all faculty and staff for his actions, but for many, the damage had already been done. "The June 5 board meeting was the lowest point I have experienced in the history of this institution," Cole said. Tensions over Adams’ comments were still high at the June 19 meeting, even hours before the academic faculty knew Richart was resigning. "The accusations you made at the last meeting are inconceivable and are shameful and embarrassing to all the faculty and staff at this college," said retired professor Katherine Herd to Adams and Richart. "As much as you try to destroy the collegiality, it will never be destroyed here at MiraCosta." It’s Not About the Palm Trees While Richart prepared for the June 19 regular meeting, Restore MiraCosta continued to prepare for what its supporters thought would be a much longer battle. The political action committee formed in early April and is comprised of academic faculty, classified staff, retirees and members of the community. On Dec. 1, 2006, members of the faculty held a "vote of no confidence" ballot, in which 106 out of 148 staff members said that they had no confidence in Richart or the board of trustees and called for her to step down. Four days later, Richart and the board dismissed the vote, calling it unofficial. "I will not resign," Richart said at the Dec. 5 meeting. On Wednesday, even Herrmann expressed surprise at Richart’s resignation. "None of the board was acting differently at all yesterday," Herrmann said. "But she has a history of telling lies and she did tell us she would never resign so I guess you have to take this with a grain of salt." Restore MiraCosta member Beatriz McWilliams said the group acknowledges that the fraudulent activity that took place in the horticulture department needed to be stopped and addressed, but its members do not think a full-scale felony investigation was needed. "It’s not about the palm trees," McWilliams said. "It’s about how the investigation went forward and the way this president fits within the system of collegial governance that we have within this college." In an interview a week before her resignation, Richart had a different take on the investigation. Richart said that because it was a whistleblower complaint, she was required by law to investigate. "For over 10 years, there were things going on in that department and money being mishandled," Richart said. Richart also said the investigation discovered more than just the $300. According to the report, Texiera was preparing to remove 2,000 trees from the MiraCosta property to give back to her then ex-boyfriend. "Ms. Texiera was going to do much more than steal $305," Richart said. "Through our investigation we saved $300,000 worth of palm trees." Agreeing to Disagree Both Texiera and Hatoff are suing MiraCosta for sexual discrimination and retaliation. Richart said she is looking forward to her day in court. "I am very happy that both of the employees have filed against the school," Richart said. "Now we can take things out from the public press and into a court of law. I am looking forward to the truth coming out." Despite Richart’s departure, she will still most likely get her day in court. In the agreement reached early Wednesday morning between Richart and the governing board, she will be made available in all current and future litigation that relates to her employment with the college. Richart’ s departure is expected to take place around June 30, and a replacement for her has not yet to be discussed. When asked Tuesday morning if she was glad she took the position despite the ongoing controversy, Richart remained diplomatic, if not slightly prescient. "I am happy of the friends I have made since I moved here and the work that I’ve done," Richart said. "There has to be a point when we agree to disagree and move on." |
| Julie Hatoff MiraCosta College |
| CALIFORNIA TEACHERS |
| The bizarre and costly war waged by MiraCosta College President Victoria Richart against the faculty of the college was exposed when it became known that Richart and school attorney Daniel Shinoff had spent about $1.5 million dollars on an investigation of questionable sales of palm trees by the horticulture department. Victoria Richart ended up resigning over the scandal, and Daniel Shinoff worked to obtain a $1.6 million settlement for her. Julie Hatoff sued regarding Shinoff's actions against her, and settled for half a million dollars. In the end, over $3 MILLION in taxpayer funds were spent as a result of Shinoff's investigation into the loss of $305 from the horticulture department. |
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| Teacher's suit vs. MiraCosta awaits ruling By Lola Sherman SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE August 25, 2007 A Superior Court judge said he will reconsider his tentative ruling disqualifying MiraCosta College's lawyers in a lawsuit brought by Julie Hatoff, the college's former vice president of instructional services. Hatoff contends the college's lawyers misled her into thinking they represented her when in fact they have used information she provided against her. Hatoff was put on paid leave a year ago. In June, her contract as vice president, a job she had held since 1983, was not renewed. She has been allowed to return to teaching this fall semester. Hatoff has sued the college for a number of issues including breach of contract, age discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also asked that the college's lawyers be disqualified from representing MiraCosta in the lawsuit. On Thursday, Judge Michael Anello issued a tentative ruling agreeing with Hatoff's position and saying that “it appears to the court that disqualification is appropriate to preserve public trust in the scrupulous administration of justice and the integrity of the bar.” But yesterday, after listening to an hour's worth of argument between opposing attorneys, Anello said he is taking the case “under advisement.” He did not indicate when he might render a decision. The case involves a yearlong investigation into the illegal sale of campus palm trees and a separate probe into mishandling of campus funds. College attorneys and an investigator hired by them questioned Hatoff repeatedly. According to her request to have them disqualified, Hatoff said she was led to believe that she had attorney-client privilege and that her answers would not be used against her. She contends the information she gave about lax cash- handling by people she supervised was a factor in her job loss. During the hearing yesterday, attorneys for both sides told the judge he needn't hurry making his decision because the college's motion to dismiss Hatoff's lawsuit has been taken off next Friday's court calendar for revision. Yesterday, Jack M. Sleeth Jr. argued for the college's attorneys, the San Diego law firm of Stutz, Artiano, Shinoff & Holtz. San Diego attorney Tracy Warren represented Hatoff. Public employees like Hatoff have an obligation to disclose wrongdoing, Sleeth said. Hatoff is accused of knowing about some cash- handling deficiencies in the Horticulture Department and not reporting them. But, Sleeth said, “I don't think anyone accused her of a criminal act.” Warren said Hatoff was accused “of defending a rogue employee.” The campus probe resulted in the head of the Horticulture Department pleading guilty to a grand-theft charge involving the unauthorized sale of thousands of palm trees donated to the college in 1998. Prosecutors found evidence of a falsified invoice involving $305 in campus funds. The other investigation into how finances were handled in various departments resulted in new accounting procedures being instituted. Warren complained that Daniel Shinoff, the attorney who Hatoff said misled her, was not at yesterday's hearing. Sleeth said he had advised Shinoff not to attend to avoid becoming upset at the charges leveled against him. Sleeth offered a possible compromise: The firm would continue to represent the college, but Shinoff would agree not to use information that might have been gleaned from Hatoff against her in court. He asserted that there was nothing she said that hadn't been revealed by others, especially a so-called “whistle-blower.” Sleeth said Shinoff realized that he and Hatoff might be in adversarial positions when he was told about possible e-mails she sent involving potential retaliation against the whistle-blower. Warren countered that a District Attorney's Office investigation into the palm sales has not found any fault on Hatoff's part. Sleeth called the lawsuit and other actions on Warren and Hatoff's part “strategic,” aimed primarily at delaying the legal process against Hatoff while a move to recall two college trustees is under way in the wake of the turmoil wrought by the investigations. A recall could be scheduled in June. A regular board election will occur in November 2008. |